Someone Else's Fairytale (48 page)

"Really?
Yeah, maybe we overdid it."

"She called about a personal family matter and needed Kyra home. You and Kyra gone in the evening, not working, I thought maybe you were at the doctor. Her all emotional, screaming at you about laundry. Her clinging to me like an overly-hormonal crazy person.”

Jason stopped in his tracks and doubled over. “Okay, we definitely overdid it.” He laughed so hard I had to steady him. “She thought the laundry was an obvious clue that you hated my lifestyle so much, there was no way you'd say yes.”

“So, Kyra's fine?”

“Kyra's good. Kyra's great. Kyra just can't believe that you really love me if you haven't slept with me, not that this is any of her business. She was not in favor of this whole plan.”

“She thought I was freezing you out because I didn't want anything long term?”

“Yeah. She's been brow beating me for weeks, telling me that a proposal was way out of line because you didn't even want to live with me. How did you not pick up on this right from the beginning? I've been working overtime to hide clues from you and prevent Kyra from screwing it up, but I knew you were onto something. I thought there was no way I'd be able to outsmart you; you see too much.”

“Jason, when I asked if you were going to do something drastic-”

“Yeah, I didn't know if that was a warning or what.”

“No, I meant end of the relationship kind of drastic.”

“You thought I was going to break up with you?”

“Because things weren't, you know, progressing. Physically.”

“What?
You have been living with Kyra too long. You're not sane. Look, you asked me-”

“What you'd change about our relationship.”

“For this to be my fairytale.”

“Right.”

“How did you not get this? It's the happily ever after that makes a fairytale. I mean, come on. Everyone knows that.”
We'd reached his car and he held open the door for me. “I gotta call Jen and stuff.”

He dialed as he circled around the front of his car and when he got in his side, I heard Jen answer by screaming, “What did she say?”

“She's thinking about it.”

“Oh no.”

“Just kidding.”

“I hate you. That's not funny. That is
not
funny!”

“See you soon.”

“She said 'yes'?”

“Yeah.”

“Seriously?”

“Not you, too. What's with you Armijos? No faith in me.”

“This is Chloe we're talking about. She's-”

“Yes she is, don't finish that thought. If there's one day for you not to be mean to me-”

“You want today or your wedding day?”

“Love you too.” He hung up.

I looked at my phone. It was four ten. “So she was already awake?”

“Yeah, yeah, everyone is. We're holding a celebration at her house.”

“At four in the morning?”

He smiled at me. “They like you.”

I looked at my phone again. “I should call my mother.”

His face fell. “Should I have called your mother first? To ask for your hand? I wasn't sure. You never talk about her.” He started the car and we headed out of the parking lot.

“She's not going to care about that.”

“You plan to have her come to the wedding?”

“Yeah of course but...”

“But?”

“It might be really embarrassing.”

“My parents don't care, if that's what you're worried about. It's not like they were good friends with Dr. Winters.”

“No, but my mom's still the same woman who did what she did all those years. It's awful. I shouldn't be ashamed of my own mother.”

“You feel how you feel, and this is your moment, so you do what will make you happy.”

I dialed the phone.

“Hello?” Mom sounded startled.

“Hey, it's me. It's good news, I promise.”

“Who is this?”

“Chloe, Mom.”

“Chloe?” She was still disoriented.

“Sorry to wake you up, but, I'm engaged.”

“Engaged? Engaged to Jason
Vanderholt?”

“Yeah. He just asked me, and please don't tell anyone right now.”

“Of course not. You're
engaged?”

“Yeah, that's kinda how I felt when he asked me.” I laughed.

“Oh,
honey!”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Hiccuping sobs.

“Yeah, I did that too. We must be related or something.”

“I'm so happy for you.” That, I knew, was the truth. I could have tried to guess her reasons and gotten angry, but I took a deep breath and pushed that desire aside.

“Thank you,” I said. “And thanks for making me call him back in December.”

“Do I get to come to the wedding?”

“Of course. I'll let you know once we figure that out.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

We hung up.

Jason glanced over at me. “That sounds like it went okay?”

“Yeah, it did.”

Back at the house was a crowd, all arrayed in the driveway. Even Steve and Shannon's kids were there, blinking sleepily. When I got out, I overheard Steve patiently explaining that I wasn't Aunt Chloe
yet,
but I would be.

The family all crowded around like fans trying to get autographs, except they were after hugs. Everyone but Kyra, who hung back. I hugged everyone else, then pressed my way through to go to her. “Hey,” I said. “When you guys were late home, Friday night, were you out picking this up, maybe?” I held up my left hand.

“Yeah. Jason let me help choose it the Friday before last.”

“It fits perfectly. Now I know why you wanted my lapis ring.”

She ducked her head, guiltily. “Well...”

“That was smooth. I only just figured it out.”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No.” I held out my arms to her. “You went along with Jason's plan in the end, so thank you. You guys blindsided me in the best possible way.”

She gave me a tight hug. “I was really scared you'd say no.”

“I know. You had my back. I appreciate it.”

“But I was wrong.”

“Look, to answer your incredibly personal question, I haven't ever slept with anyone. That's how I am. It wasn't just Jason.”

Her eyes went wide. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

Jen announced she'd set up a breakfast buffet inside, and Kyra and I followed the others in. Warm tortillas and an assortment of fillings, including real green chile and home made salsa. Jason rolled me a burrito that I could only half finish, and then spent the rest of the meal fending off attempts from his sister to put more food on his plate. Served him right.

“I can't believe you all got up this early,” I said.

“Well,” said Steve, “we did fear it would be a consolation party.”

“Thank
you,” said Jason. “I love you guys too. Man, what did I do to deserve this?”

Kyra tossed an olive at him.

He caught it and threw it back, narrowly missing her head.

She ducked aside with a giggle and the two of them grinned at each other.

I was exhausted. “I don't mean to be rude,” I said, “but I think I need to lie down for a little while.”

Everyone fell all over themselves to take my plate and usher me to the guestroom. I stopped in the bathroom to wash off my makeup first.

“Oh
no!”

I woke up. That was Kyra's voice. The clock let me know it was
nine a.m.
I got up, brushed my hair, and stepped out into the hall. A smaller crowd than had been there this morning was gathered around the dining room table.

“I can't believe it,” said Kyra.

I went to see what they were looking at. It turned out they were crowded around Kyra's laptop. On the screen was a picture of Jason on bended knee in front of me. “Jason Vanderholt is off the market,” proclaimed the headline. I looked at the time again. “Five hours?” I said.

“How in the heck did anyone find us?” said Jason. His hair was slightly flat on one side and there were marks on his cheek that told me he'd slept on the couch.

“I did not tell,” said Kyra. “I swear.”

“Maybe they heard you yelling when we went to pick up the ring,” said Jason.

“Guys, don't fight,” I said. “It doesn't matter. The media was going to find out eventually.”

“Someone probably saw you get the ring,” said Jen. “If you got it yourself. And yeah, of course the media's all over this. Jason Vanderholt
is
off the market.”

“I wasn't ever for sale,” muttered Jason.

I looked out the front windows.

“No,” said Jen. “That road out there is a private road, so no one comes up this far, usually. We bust them for trespassing if they do.”

“Chloe, I'm sorry,” said Jason. “I know how much you hate this.”

“It's okay. I need to get used to it now, right?”

“This is going to make it difficult for you two to plan a wedding,” said Lillian. “How are we going to do this?”

“I dunno.” Jason scrubbed his hands through his hair. “Um, let's get back to
New York
before they do come overrun the house. You two come on the jet with me.” He looked at me and Kyra.

“You two go,” said Kyra. “I'll take the airline.”

“Jet's gotta be more comfortable,” I said.

“You guys haven't had any time alone together today, hardly,” said Kyra. “No one's going to hound me for pictures. You guys go. I have some stuff I want to do.”